My kids bring food for school recess almost everyday. They prefer homemade and homecooked food rather than eating canteen food.
I made these one fine afternoon and my kids raved about them. It's the first time I'm recording this attempt down as I always make them without a fixed recipe. I just put in whatever I feel like putting.
The texture of sponge cakes made with whole egg method is different comparing to egg separation method. I find it more stable, less prone to having a waist, provided the eggs are beaten well enough.
You can bake them in a large pan for 40 minutes or just bake them in small paper cups for 17-20 minutes. But baking them small saves on electricity.
Chocolate Sponge Cups
Recipe by WendyinKK
5 extra large eggs (Grade A eggs, around 67g each )
90gm sugar
50gm brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
50gm butter, melted
50gm milk, room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Sift together
80gm plain flour
20gm cocoa powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1. Preheat oven at 160(fan)/180C. Line cupcake pan with liners. I use three 6-hole pans to fit into my built in oven.
2. Beat eggs with salt and both sugar on high speed until ribbon stage. (12 mins highest speed on hand mixer, 12 mins on speed 7 Kitchenaid)
3. Combine butter, milk and vanilla. Pour this into one side of the mixing bowl.
4. Pour the sifted flour onto the other side of the bowl.
5. Mix on low speed until combined, or fold with a big balloon whisk.
6. Spoon batter into liners until 80% full, about 7mm from the rim.
7. Bake for 19 minutes, or until done.
*To make 12 cakes, use 4 Grade C eggs (55gm) and use 2/3 of the other ingredients. For example: 60gm sugar, 34gm brown sugar.
Hi Wendy
ReplyDeleteI tried bake this two times but both not successful. I followed exactly your recipe, after added in flour n butter, I mixed less than 1 min I noticed the mixture became watery not the usual muffin batter. Any idea what went wrong?
Aili
Aili,
ReplyDeleteWas the eggs beaten according to the time?
Sugar not reduced? Same?
It will water down a bit due to the presence of cocoa powder, but it will still be fluffy.
Aili,
ReplyDeleteOh yes, this is definitely not the same as muffin batter, Muffins are made with a lot of flour and with a totally different method.
Hi Wendy
ReplyDeleteYes,the egg was beaten 12mins at high speed - hand mixer
I cut down the white sugar about 20gm.
Aili
Aili,
ReplyDeleteSo, you didn't follow it exactly :)
Making sponge with whole egg method is sugar sensitive. Traditional recipes will call for equal amounts of sugar and eggs in volume, as in 250gm of eggs and 200gm of sugar for stability, 250gm sugar for even better stability. This recipe's sugar is already lowered, and reducing further will make the egg mixture even less stable.
The batter is a bit more runny than sponge cakes made without cocoa powder, but it will rise, provided the eggs were well beaten and care was taken during folding in the flour, be very careful not to overmix the flour. It is a lot more difficult than making muffins. Each time I get feedback regarding the batter was runny, the first issue is always about the sugar, since beating time and speed is followed. So how was the outcome? Did you bake them?
If you are new to baking whole egg method sponge, I suggest that you do not reduce the sugar next time, whole egg sponge cakes are more tricky than those made with egg separation method. For me, I like the texture of whole egg sponge cakes, and I failed many times when I first started because the recipes I followed didn't give exact timing for beating, only stating beat until ribbon stage, and for a noob that time, I didn't know much and just stopped a bit too early when I saw ribbons forming, but the fact is, it needs to be beaten way longer than just seeing ribbons. It took me many attempts to be able to bake it right each time. Takes a lot of patience and practise.
Yes, totally agreed with you. Whole eggs sponge is Super sensitive. Better to beat the eggs longer and fold with spatula or hands to prevent over folding. And don't Omit the salt in the recipe, not only it Flavours the cake, the salt also helps to whip up and stabilise the eggs {waifong}
ReplyDeleteHi Wendy, I've tried your recipe twice now, and both times it failed to come out nicely like your photos. Is it baking powder or baking soda that I should be using? When I finished mixing in the butter mixture and flour into the egg batter, it seems I end up with some pretty big bubbles, is that what I should be seeing?
ReplyDeleteAnd I did not alter anything, followed your recipe down to the letter. Set a timer to beat for 12 minutes with kitchenaid on 7. Used the exact amount of everything on your recipe...
I'm going to try again, as I really like how simple and fast it is to bake these babies and the flavor is really nice. Just have to get it right...
Amanda,
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to say that whole egg sponge is something tricky.
If you have never tried whole eggs method, I suggest you split the whipped eggs into 2/3 and 1/3. Use a balloon whisk and fold the flour, butter, milk and vanilla in the 2/3. When it's all incorporated, put the 1/3 back in and fold.
I made these yesterday and they were a success, in terms of baking and with my daughter chomping down 3 in 1 go! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteCan i replace with cake flour
ReplyDeleteHi Wendy!
ReplyDeleteI am a new stay at home mom and just started baking recently. I discovered your orange chiffon recipe and tried it out. Thanks to your detailed instructions, it was relatively successful and my daughter loved it!
However I was not as successful in making this sponge cake. I followed the recipe as best as I can but the finished cake was denser at the bottom and Fluffy at the top. I does not look like your picture and is stickier looking. May I know what went wrong? Thanks!
chanmaykyu,
ReplyDeleteyes, cake might expand more in the oven and shrink thereafer. But you can try.
Claire Khoo,
You batter could be deflated or you didn't mix it properly. Ensure oven is properly preheated to the correct temperature before baking